I want to give nothing

of myself today
and make a holy day
out of my sadness
and say no
to all requests
and wrap my heart
in warmth and comfort
and layered in blankets
I want to give nothing
of myself today
I want to be safe
alone and away
from the world
and all that it asks
and demands of me
I want to give nothing
of myself today
and tell all the beggars
at my door
to please go away
that my well is empty
that I have no more
and tell them
that they should know
that today is holy
and it is not a day
for giving alms
but a day for honoring
what we already have
hoarded and stored
and long forgotten
in our own hearts
I want to give nothing
of myself today
I want to stop and let
my tears fall
and feel them run
down my face
and drop
from my cheeks
and imagine
they are diamonds
that were created
by my own pain
and born
of my own heartache
and I want to love them
each and every one
and call them mine
I want to give nothing
of myself today
and if someone asks me
which way they should go
I will turn to them
and tell them
that I do not know
and that the blind
should never
lead the blind
and that today
I cannot see
I want to give nothing
of myself today
I want to love this day
and honor it
and all its emptiness
and call it mine
I want to give nothing
of myself today
no words or looks
and no touches
of my hem
until tomorrow
maybe then
I can give of love again.

*

Relephant Read: 

Sadness, You Come 

Author: Michele Collier 

Editor: Renée Picard

Image: Yan Yan Kow at Pixoto